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Riven #1
Riven
The Great War grows every day, bathed in blood and steam as mechanized soldiers spray battlefields in bullets. Back home, cities are restless as 20th century science continues to remake society even as so many come back in body bags. During all this upheaval, the Guides, more a legend than a reality for most, are finding the dead don’t want to go quietly into that good night.Tasked since time immemorial with keeping the dead where they belong until their souls can be recycled, the Guides are made up of those few born with the ability to cross between worlds. They patrol Riven’s ashen land, keeping the dead in line, even at the cost of their own lives. Now, for the first time, the Great War threatens to flood Riven with more, and more dangerous, souls than ever before.Carver, if he had the choice, would prefer Riven’s dead to the living’s endless complications. In Chicago, Carver can barely afford an apartment. In Riven, there’s entire buildings for the taking. Yes, they might be full of murderous souls and coated in ash, but that’s a small price to pay for space. And, as far as Carver’s concerned, every one of those souls brings an entertaining fight along with it. At least until the souls start working together, whispering of a leader who promises them a way out, a return to Earth. What’s worse, this leader seems to have a liking for Carver, and that attention makes Riven a very dangerous place. Carver could run, could jump from the Guides and join the Great War, but he’s never run from anything in his life, and he’s not going to start now. Riven’s his turf, and he’s going to defend it, no matter how many souls come his way.RIVEN is the first book in the aptly titled, and completed, Riven Trilogy, a historical fantasy series flavored with steampunk on the side. Full of action, romance, and a story that’ll keep you riveted until the very end, RIVEN is the start of an epic tale deciding the fates of both the living and the dead.
264 pages, Paperback
Published June 2, 2017
107 people are currently reading
255 people want to read
About the author
A.R. Knight
256Ìýbooks22ÌýfollowersI spin stories in a frosty house in Madison, WI, primarily owned by a pair of cats. After getting sucked into the working grind in the economic crash of the 2008, I found myself spending boring meetings soaring through space and going on grand adventures.
Eventually, spending time with podcasting, screenplays, short stories and other novels, I found a story I could fall into and a cast of characters both entertaining and full of heart. That story became Wild Nines, and eventually became a trilogy.
I've got a basket, maybe even a barrel of ideas for more stories coming after these, so if you'd like to see what I'm scribing, feel free to visit me at adamrknight.com or sign up for my newsletter at .
Thanks for reading!
Eventually, spending time with podcasting, screenplays, short stories and other novels, I found a story I could fall into and a cast of characters both entertaining and full of heart. That story became Wild Nines, and eventually became a trilogy.
I've got a basket, maybe even a barrel of ideas for more stories coming after these, so if you'd like to see what I'm scribing, feel free to visit me at adamrknight.com or sign up for my newsletter at .
Thanks for reading!
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 26, 2023
First, let me advise you to avoid the audiobook. I don’t know if it was read by a poor reader, or an AI, but it lacks all intonation and is almost painful to listen to.
If you get taken in by the synopsis, and the very clever idea of guides handling the influx of spirits to the afterlife, during a major war, which has its merits, then prepare for a very bleak, often confusing, agonizingly long, tramp through a pair of gray and lifeless worlds � Both the living and the dead.
Plot holes abound
1) Carver gets blackmailed with information about his mother, when he clearly states at the beginning that he has lived his entire life without ever wondering what the heck happened to her. He could’ve done his own research, or just said no, he don’t really care. And, if the suddenly available information about his mother made him, curious, why was he not also curious about his father?
2) Carver’s girlfriend is a black widow, who has killed three husbands� But that’s OK. Let’s give her a whole bunch of weapons and training because surely she won’t turn on Carver!
3) Carver continually gets beat up throughout the entire book, and every time he wakes up, he’s good to go. But in the end, when his fellow guild members get wounded they end up in the hospital.
4) You can’t take anything with you into Riven. Nicholas has to scavenge wood to make his own paper. But, Carver’s mother has real pencils and paper that Carver thinks must have from one of the guilds offices. How did they get into Riven? Does the guild have an altar where they sacrifice office supplies??
5) Once a spirit gets into Riven it cannot get back out. I’m not sure why the guild is even really necessary. Also, the guild receives funding from governments in the real world. Why? If spirit can’t get out of Riven, then they have no impact on the real world. I understand that the war is creating an influx of spirits so massive that breaches are being created, but if there’s not a catastrophic war the size of WWI going on, why was the guild needed at all??
If you get taken in by the synopsis, and the very clever idea of guides handling the influx of spirits to the afterlife, during a major war, which has its merits, then prepare for a very bleak, often confusing, agonizingly long, tramp through a pair of gray and lifeless worlds � Both the living and the dead.
Plot holes abound
1) Carver gets blackmailed with information about his mother, when he clearly states at the beginning that he has lived his entire life without ever wondering what the heck happened to her. He could’ve done his own research, or just said no, he don’t really care. And, if the suddenly available information about his mother made him, curious, why was he not also curious about his father?
2) Carver’s girlfriend is a black widow, who has killed three husbands� But that’s OK. Let’s give her a whole bunch of weapons and training because surely she won’t turn on Carver!
3) Carver continually gets beat up throughout the entire book, and every time he wakes up, he’s good to go. But in the end, when his fellow guild members get wounded they end up in the hospital.
4) You can’t take anything with you into Riven. Nicholas has to scavenge wood to make his own paper. But, Carver’s mother has real pencils and paper that Carver thinks must have from one of the guilds offices. How did they get into Riven? Does the guild have an altar where they sacrifice office supplies??
5) Once a spirit gets into Riven it cannot get back out. I’m not sure why the guild is even really necessary. Also, the guild receives funding from governments in the real world. Why? If spirit can’t get out of Riven, then they have no impact on the real world. I understand that the war is creating an influx of spirits so massive that breaches are being created, but if there’s not a catastrophic war the size of WWI going on, why was the guild needed at all??
September 29, 2023
I got this book for free so I honestly did not have anything to lose by reading it and it turned out to not be too bad after all. It is an interesting world with original magic and rules that doesn’t go so in depth that it’s overwhelming. It was a fairly light read. Will probably read the rest of the series at some point!
January 13, 2024
Another random book I read on my phone during class, but it was� not good. I story was fine and I honestly think the concept was cool, just poorly done. I only finished it out of a sense of obligation not because I wanted to.
July 24, 2024
Finally finished this book on the plane. It was a free book I got during the free book sale thing I saw on TikTok. Which was apparently a YEAR ago, holy cow. Which makes sense because the last time I think I read this book was when I was on a plane last year.
I really liked the premise of this book but the themes ? kinda disappeared through the book but the premise kind of kept me going. idk: guy who when is asleep goes to a dead city to get angry spirits to move on into the ACTUAL afterlife.
- the writing is not great the author then provides detail to a lot of scenes where I'm like? I don't care that he heated his food up in the oven by turning the dial. or pressed in the correct sequence of numbers otherwise the door wouldn't open... like ma'am we know what a code is.
- on the other hand, the "real" world is hardly described at all. I found it interesting that this book its described as "steampunk" because there is like ONE description of mechs and I get it HIS world is in this afterlife place, but come on its only for like 8 hours while he sleeps.
- there's a war AND a plague and at the beginning it seemed interesting how the author was maybe having anti-war sentiment or themes but disappears once we discover what the book is actually about... the dead people using/killing him to come back to the real world
I probably wont read subsequent books bc they weren't free and they weren't good enough for me to pay for, but if I were to: I'm interested in Alec's plot line + what's going out in the "real" world
I think bc of the cool premise could be good for middle schoolers except there is references to sex and obviously abuse, murder, domestic violence. so ... maybe not for middle schoolers?
I really liked the premise of this book but the themes ? kinda disappeared through the book but the premise kind of kept me going. idk: guy who when is asleep goes to a dead city to get angry spirits to move on into the ACTUAL afterlife.
- the writing is not great the author then provides detail to a lot of scenes where I'm like? I don't care that he heated his food up in the oven by turning the dial. or pressed in the correct sequence of numbers otherwise the door wouldn't open... like ma'am we know what a code is.
- on the other hand, the "real" world is hardly described at all. I found it interesting that this book its described as "steampunk" because there is like ONE description of mechs and I get it HIS world is in this afterlife place, but come on its only for like 8 hours while he sleeps.
- there's a war AND a plague and at the beginning it seemed interesting how the author was maybe having anti-war sentiment or themes but disappears once we discover what the book is actually about... the dead people using/killing him to come back to the real world
I probably wont read subsequent books bc they weren't free and they weren't good enough for me to pay for, but if I were to: I'm interested in Alec's plot line + what's going out in the "real" world
I think bc of the cool premise could be good for middle schoolers except there is references to sex and obviously abuse, murder, domestic violence. so ... maybe not for middle schoolers?
November 20, 2024
Book 1 of the Riven Trilogy New author for me semi new genre as well, I don't read/listen to much steampunk. I like this book and am looking forward to finishing the trilogy. 2nd book is called "The Cycle" and is also available in audiobook form. Carver Reed is a Guide for spirits who have not crossed over to true death and in Riven where the dead live he goes hunting something is stirring up the spirits now though and Carver and his friends must find it and stop it if possible. Binding spirits makes them stay unbound spirits are moved along to the cycle this series takes place loosely around World War 1 in Chicago and is a good listen or read available in all formats try it if you are a fan of steampunk you won't be disappointed.
September 3, 2024
Described as steampunk genre but not so much - other than it's polluted to the point you need respirators outdoors it doesn't feature much in the book. Set about WWI and there is a purgatory called Riven. People who die go there and if they move on normally all is good but if they get angry and won't move on they can cause some unspecified problems for the real world. Guides are people who can go back and forth between the worlds and their job is to forcibly move along the angry spirits. You have to take quite a bit on faith but it's fairly interesting. The audiobook version wasn't an option to choose but I liked it.
April 27, 2024
Um, what now? WHAT? At first I had no idea what was happening. But the descriptions and prose were so beautiful I had to keep going. I’m so glad I did. This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. What an awesome window into this author’s imagination. I have no idea where I found this book but thank you to whoever recommended it. Amazing.
May 9, 2024
Dark , gothic, and sort of steam punk, the setting and idea are really cool. I liked it a lot at first but I think the fight scenes get a little muddled and I HATE the tongue in cheek & sarcastic comments all the time from some of the characters, I'd have rathered it just stay grim and miserable all the time but maybe that's just me. I liked it just enough to move onto the next one.
November 17, 2024
I will say this author writes very well. However the story itself is a bit lacking. There’s plenty of action, but no substance. If you’ve seen RIPD, it’s basically the same thing. The twists and reveals in the plot were not big enough for the wait you endure to uncover them. A great concept, but there’s so much more that could have been done with it.
May 29, 2024
Struggled to Finish this Novel
I love me some dark novels, I was really hoping it would amp up. The underworld setting reminds me of Charon in Greek mythology & I was looking for some epic adventure that never materialized. As a series opener it failed to grabbed me.
I love me some dark novels, I was really hoping it would amp up. The underworld setting reminds me of Charon in Greek mythology & I was looking for some epic adventure that never materialized. As a series opener it failed to grabbed me.
September 12, 2024
Loved it
Fast paced, intriguing, mysterious, brilliant world building and a portal fantasy with supernatural vibes. Bad ass MMC and other cocky side character that give this story so much volume
Fast paced, intriguing, mysterious, brilliant world building and a portal fantasy with supernatural vibes. Bad ass MMC and other cocky side character that give this story so much volume
April 1, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. This was the first steampunk book I have read. I loved the world of Riven, but I wish we would have spent more time in the steampunk world.. I will be listening to the next book soon. I did do this book as an audio book. The narrator did a fantastic job!!!
November 8, 2023
Interesting
March 26, 2025
Did the audiobook while doing chores. It's ok. detective using magic to guide spirits to rest in a sort of magical steam punk world. Has that Dresdan file feeling
October 31, 2023
Interesting concept of a purgatory but much of the why and how things work is never explained. I had a hard time visualizing the fight scenes in general (they aren’t fighting to do damage, just to hit the spirits with a special blue flame). But why do they need to fight at all? Why not just have people set up like snipers with long rang weapons? (The narrative proves this works when the MC gets a crossbow partway through the story).
Despite all the questions, I still found it to be intriguing and the story did pull me in.
Despite all the questions, I still found it to be intriguing and the story did pull me in.
January 18, 2024
Great story. I really enjoyed it. Lots of twists and turns.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
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